Page 136 of Under Her Skin
“I suppose he took it well, since you two stayed together at his place for a few days,” Peytonsays.
“Yeah, he took it well, and we made up and it was like Heaven. The way he touches me and how he makes me feel so special. His kisses woke me each morning, and they were the last things I felt each night.” I close my eyes and can recall the sensation and my skin burns with thememory.
Kip taps my leg, making me open my eyes. “If it was so special, why’d ya leave,pet?”
“A phone call from my mother brought me back to my awful reality. I’m a person who’s on the edge of crazy and loving him is exactly what would send me over the edge, like it did my father, she told me,” I tellthem.
Kip and Peyton exchange a look then Peyton looks at me and says, “Why in the world would you put so much stock into what that womansays?”
“She knows,” I say with a huff. “She knew him and how her leaving drove him to lunacy. She sees that inme.”
Kip rolls his eyes. “From what you’ve told us about your relationship with her, she barely knows ya, sweetheart. Why would ya believe her? She’s only ever hurtya.”
“I know that. I do, but I can’t hurt Blake like that if she’s right about me.” I hang my head and play with the blanket’sedge.
Peyton’ssoft hand touches my chin. “Rachelle, she doesn’t know you. We do and you’re nowhere near the crazy she thinks you could be. You’re not even really self-destructive. You’re just afraid and confused sometimes, but you aren’tcrazy.”
“You really think I don’t have thosetendencies?”
They both shake their heads and I feel really stupid. Peyton pulls me into her and hugs me. “You should take some time, I suppose. But leaving Blake was a mistake. Do you think you could make him understandeverything?”
As I pull back I catch Kip looking at her with a frown. “Why are you frowning, Kip?” Iask.
He looks away then back at me. “Alright. It’ll do no good to pull my punches with ya. You’ve hurt the man so badly it may be too late for youtwo.”
Though I know what he’s said is true, it still hurts like he’s punched me in the stomach. Peyton hits him in the arm and shrieks, “Kip!Damn!”
“Well, I’m sorry,” he shouts back. “It’s true though. You don’t want her hopes all up, doyou?”
“Have you talked to him?” Iask.
He nods and pats my leg. “I have and he was not himself, but he was certain he could take no more. He loves you, but he can’t takeanymore.”
My heart fills with something so much worse than sorrow. “So, I’ve ruined it foreverthen.”
Peyton wraps her arm around my shoulders. “Come on. There are other fish in the sea as theysay.”
“I’m not really a lover of fish.” I take a pillow and hug it tight. “I’m better offalone.”
“No you’re not, sweetheart,” Kip says. “But take some time. Heal your wounds and stop thinking all the time that you may go crazy someday. You’re far from it. Well, you’re kinda quick to make drastic decisions, but that’s not really crazy. And ya look gift horses in the mouth a lot. Again, not crazy, just notsmart.”
Peyton puncheshim in the arm again. “Kip! Since when did you get so bad at helping a girlout?”
“I’ll let you two talk,” he says as he gets up and leaves us. “Just don’t go givin’ her any false hopes,love.”
“I won’t,” Peyton says as she waves him off. “And order a pizza for us. Stuffed crust and every meat available on it. I’m dying forone.”
“The cravings, already, love?” he asks her as he opens thedoor.
“Something fierce,” she answers as she rubs herbelly.
He gives her a smile then leaves and I’m left thinking I will never have this. I will never have a husband and child on the way. I will never have anything but a life of solitude and loneliness. All because of my mother filling my head withfears.
Kip
After calling in the pizza order, I find a safe place to call Blake from. I can’t have the women overhearing me. He answers on the first ring. “Hey, Kip. Is everything okay? Is Rachellealright?”
“She is, mate. She’s here, and we talked to her. It was her mum who had her running this time. The old bat told her she would go crazy like her looney father if she allowed herself to love you,” I tellhim.
